Love Makes a Family
by Tif S
Summary: A collection of shorts, one and two shots giving glimpses into the lives of the Adams-Foster family. Prompt with song lyrics, situations, an emotion, a snip of dialogue or anything else and the characters you want featured.
1. Floodgates(Adams-Foster Bros & Jonnor)

**A/N: Hey, I'm here with my first Fosters fic, well really a collection of one-shots. I decided to make this collection just because I'm a huge huge fan of the Fosters. In it, I'll take prompts centered around the Adams-Fosters and any other characters. This first one-shot came out of two things really, kind of a reaction to Monday's episode, not that kind of girl, and also out of a desire to see Jesus act more like a caring brother towards Jude. I can't help thinking that every time Jesus and Jude are in a scene together he's yelling at Jude to get out of the bedroom or the bathroom. This is kind of my effort to remedy that. It was originally supposed to be mainly a Jonnor ficlet, but I think this works too.**

* * *

**Floodgates**

**I told my dad I'm gay.**

Jude stared at his phone for what seemed like an eternity. Connor had come out to his dad. It was crazy. Then it set in, the anger and the truth of the matter. Connor's dad had lied. He'd tried to turn him against Connor by making Jude think he blamed him.

**R u ok? **Jude texted him back biting his lip. The worry of the impending reply caused his hands to shake, the cell phone balancing precariously between his palms.

**No **then another message. **I have 2 go.**

Jude inhaled. If this had been a regular conversation where they were talking instead of texting, this is the part where he'd hear the click. There was no click, no silent phone line, but there might as well have been. All the excitement he had felt at getting the chance to talk to Connor deflated like a cheap balloon, replaced by worry.

"Hey Jude," he looked up to see Lena. "Dinner's going to be ready soon sweetheart." She looked at her son's hands still trembling, saw the overflow in his eyes, all this in the millisecond before he could hide it with rapid blinking and a smile.

"Yeah, ok."

Lena's face crumpled and in four long strides she was sitting on Jude's bed wrapping him in a hug. "I know you had a rough day today. If you want to talk, we're here to listen."

Jude nodded pasting a smile on his face. "I know."

Lena kissed him on the forehead before standing up and turning to leave the room as Brandon and Jesus were walking in.

Jude sat up as he saw the look of pure shellshock on Brandon's face. "How was the driving lesson?"

Jesus smirked. "I'm a natural."

Jude looked from Jesus to Brandon who was shaking his head. "A natural wreck magnet maybe." Brandon murmured.

"Hey," Jesus scoffed. "I wasn't the one who turned it into a therapy session."

Jude was holding back laughter at this point as Brandon shoved Jesus onto the bed.

"So, how was your day little bro?" Jesus said. "Moms read you the riot act yet?"

Jude's eyes wandered down to the cell phone in his hand as he shook his head. "Callie did." Somehow it just came out and once the floodgates were opened, he found himself telling Brandon and Jesus everything: the sneaking out, venting about Callie, Connor's dad and the ban leaving out Connor's coming out. That was something that he wouldn't share. It wasn't his to share.

When he was done, he found himself searching his brothers' faces looking for any reaction. Brandon was silent sitting himself on the bed next to Jude and offering a hand. Jesus was the first to speak.

"Are you ok?" The younger teen was uncharacteristically serious.

Jude shook his head.

"Have you talked to Connor in school or anything?" Brandon asked. "I mean Mr. Stevens doesn't stalk around Anchor Beach. I'm sure you could talk to him there."

Jude sighed. "Taylor slipped him her phone at the hospital. He just texted me…" Jude felt the tears coming. "He… he came out to his Dad, and I don't know what's going to happen now. What if he hurts him?" The secret he told himself he wouldn't tell came out anyway, and now that it was out in the open, he felt some pressure lift.

"Jude," Brandon squeezed his brother's hand. "Do you think you can tell Moms what you told us?"

Jude started to nod then shook his head. "He… Connor told me and I don't think he wants anyone else to know… about his dad I mean. It'll just make it worse for him."

"It'll be worse if no one tries to help." Jesus said. "Trust me, that bastard will treat him worse if he isn't afraid of being caught."

"I guess you're right." Jude jumped off the bed. "I'll tell them after dinner. Will you guys stay with me when I do?"

The brothers nodded, each putting an arm around Jude as they walked out of the bedroom.

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**A/N: Alright, so what did you think? I'll be taking prompts. This can be anything, an emotion, a song or lyric, a quote, a situation. The more you give me to work with the better. And let me know what characters and pairings you want to see. The only things I won't write would probably be where the siblings are romantically involved. Brallie is fair game though. (unless it's a situation where Callie is adopted). Let me know!**


	2. Not A Stray (Adams-Foster Bros)

_**A/N: Okay, this came to me after last night's episode, Daughters. Brandon's attitude has just irked me lately even though he has been one of my favorite characters in the past, and what he said in last night's episode during the argument with Stef and Lena got me thinking. This was the result. Once again, I own nothing. Just the plot bunny.**_

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**Not A Stray **

Jude sat in his room trying to focus on his math homework, but the overheard argument was still playing in his head. AJ and Callie had kissed, his moms were having trouble, were probably going to get a divorce, and Brandon had called them _strays_. That word, it was something he had heard before almost too many times to count. It took on a whole new meaning in this house though, somehow harsher. He had tried to stop Brandon, when he walked past him, but he didn't stop. He had already snapped at AJ once today, so he knew he couldn't talk to him. In fact, it seemed the older teen had retreated, disappeared downstairs when he hadn't been looking. He closed his book as he looked at his cell phone sitting on his desk. There was someone he could call. He picked up the phone, thumbing through his contacts until he found the number.

* * *

"Yo, dude, you coming?" Jesus looked over to his roommate. They were supposed to go down to dinner. He had been attending Flintwood for a while now. He liked it, liked being able to wrestle, but he missed his family. He heard his phone buzzing and looked at the screen pulling his eyebrows together.

"You go ahead," Jesus waved his hand holding up his phone. "I'll be down after this."

"Sure man. Take your time."

Once his roommate disappeared around the corner, he clicked the phone on. "Hey Jude,"

"_Is it a bad time?" _Jude's voice came through. "_If you're busy I can call back. I just…" _

Jesus almost had to pull the phone away from his ear. It was a frenzy of words, all toppling over each other to get out. "Whoa kid, slow down. No, it's fine. It's just dinner. I can't hear you. One at a time. What's going on with Moms?"

Jesus heard a shaking breath through the phone, like trying to breathe back tears. "_I think they're getting divorced. They're going to therapy."_

Jesus sighed. Therapy? If there was one thing that he never thought he would hear in relation to his moms, it was therapy. They always seemed to have it together, almost too together. "Seriously?" He whistled. "Man, but did they actually _say_ they were getting divorced?"

"_No…I...I overheard Moms and Brandon arguing. He…" _Now Jude actually was crying. "_He said we were stray kids, and that they never asked him if he wanted us around." _

"Jude, Jude, listen to me." Jesus snapped. "Did you talk to Callie?"

"_No… "_

"Talk to her okay? Talk to Mariana too. Talk to Moms. I'm going to call Brandon talk some sense into his thick head."

"_You… you will?" _

"I think he's due for it, don't you?" He switched the phone to his other hand. "Did you do your homework?"

Jude laughed. "_Did you?" _

"Point taken. Catch you later bro. Thanks for calling."

"_You're welcome. Night Jesus."_

"Night Jude." Jesus tapped the button to end the call and clenched his fists. What was wrong with his brother? He'd done some pretty stupid stuff, but saying that in a house full of foster kids, that took the fucking cake. They all knew how sensitive Jude was, they'd seen it first hand, and knowing that pissed Jesus off even more.

He picked up his phone again scrolling until he found Brandon's number.

* * *

Brandon sighed. He was still angry. Why had AJ gotten a free pass? He did the exact same thing as Brandon had, and all they did was move him, no further action taken. Now he was back in the house, Callie was living with Rita, and still nothing had been addressed. His moms had lied, they'd lied about their foster license. They hadn't even thought highly enough of him or anyone else to tell them the truth. Their relationship was crumbling, and they hadn't addressed that either. When had his family become so full of secrets?

He startled as his phone went off looking at the name: Jesus. He answered without a second thought. "Hey man, what's up? Shouldn't you be at dinner?"

"_Jude called me." _Jesus said. "_Did you bite Moms' heads off or something?"_

Brandon shook his head, forgetting Jesus couldn't see him before responding. "No… it's just been a little rough. They… took in another kid, AJ."

"_Replaced me already huh? That's harsh." _

"Actually," Brandon felt the edge creeping into his voice. "My dad's gonna foster him. Moms are just doing it until he gets his license."

"_Another stray you didn't ask for right?" _Jesus' voice was flat.

"How do you…?" Brandon almost choked.

"_Jude." _Jesus groaned. "_Man, did you not know he was around or something? What's wrong with you?"_

Damn it. Brandon sighed. Jude had heard everything. "Look… I didn't…"

"_Do you know how stupid you made yourself sound? And Moms did ask us dummy, but if that's how you really feel, maybe I should just stop now. You'll probably cuss me out next." _

"Jesus, come on, you know me."

"_Yeah, I thought so." _Brandon could hear the pained sigh on the other end of the line, could almost see Jesus rubbing his forehead. _That word fucking hurts dude. You don't know the first thing about being a foster kid. You've had parents, people who wanted you your whole life. Next time you're gonna say something like that, look it up in the dictionary first."_

"Bro, I'm really sorry. I…" Brandon sighed.

"_We're not mutts, we're not animals in the alley, we're **not strays**." _ Jesus snapped. "_We're people. Besides, it's not me you gotta talk to. I gotta go, dinner's almost over and I have to get to the dining hall. Text me when you've got your common sense back."_

The click hit Brandon like a gunshot. He stared at his brother's contact picture until it disappeared. He'd screwed up. He'd really screwed up... with both of his brothers. He stood up and walked out. He knew what he had to do.

* * *

Jude had his headphones in and was still trying to work on his math homework when he felt someone's hand on his shoulder. He turned in his desk chair to see Brandon. "What do you want?"

Brandon held his hands up. "I come in peace. Can we talk?"

Jude shrugged pulling out his headphones. "Go head."

"Jesus called me, told me you overheard moms and I in the kitchen."

Jude nodded, still not looking at him.

"He knocked me around pretty good. I think, if he was here I'd have bruises." Brandon laughed weakly. "I'm sorry, I...I didn't… look I was just mad, but I shouldn't have said that. I really shouldn't have said that."

"You're right." Jude sighed. "So, why did you?"

Brandon shook his head. "Frustration, heat of the moment. I guess, it was more just everything. AJ and I, we don't exactly get along."

"That's an understatement." Jude smirked, letting it fall only seconds later. "But I don't get it."

"What?" Brandon said.

"Is that… what you said, do you really think that?"

Brandon clicked his tongue. "No! No, of course not. I was stupid." He put a hand on Jude's shoulder. "You guys are my family okay? Everything I said back there. I didn't mean any of it."

Jude nodded. "Okay."

Brandon smiled. "All good?"

Jude looked down at his hands, then back up. There was one more thing he needed to know. "Everything? Even… Moms?"

Brandon's smile fell. "Jude…"

"Are they going to split up?"

"I don't know buddy." Brandon answered honestly. "I wish I did."

"What was it like? With Stef and Mike?"

Brandon shook his head. "Jude, you don't have to worry about that okay? Don't even worry. Moms, they won't." He exhaled. "They won't."

"What if they do?"

"No," Brandon said. "We'll cross that if it comes. Like we always do, but they're working it out. I know it."

Jude nodded. "Thanks… for everything Brandon."

Brandon smiled. "Anytime. You need any help?"

Jude bit the pencil. "I divided by four, but I still can't figure out what x is supposed to be."

Brandon pulled another chair, as he did so, reaching for his phone to text Jesus.

**Thanks for the wake up call. I needed it. Call you tomorrow?**

The reply came what seemed like seconds later. **You screw up like that again and I may need to actually come back and visit. :p**

Brandon grinned. **Hopefully sooner than you think little bro. Don't wait for it though. We miss you. :D**

**I won't. :)**

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_**A/N: Okay, so that was really really long. 1,429 words. I think it came out well though. :) Let me know what you think if you're so inclined. I love feedback, helps me a lot and makes a good motivator. Any requests? **_


	3. Floodgates Part 2 (Jude, Moms, and Bros)

_**A/N: Okay, this was requested by **_**_blueeyedmentalistfan. I really enjoyed writing this, and I hope you enjoy it as well._**

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**Floodgates Part 2: I Wanna See You Be Brave (Jude, Moms, Jesus and Brandon)**

Dinner was a quiet affair, almost too quiet. Stef and Lena couldn't help noticing a change in their three boys. It was like they held a secret between them, the way they kept looking at each other, as if they were waiting for something.

"Hey, you alright?" Mariana was the first to break the silence directed toward her twin. "You haven't talked our ears off about your girl problems. Are you sick?"

"Mariana!" Stef shook her head laughing in spite of herself.

"Seriously though, what's wrong?"

"Mind your own business." Jesus sighed.

"Okay fine." Mariana rolled her eyes. "I'm done, may I be excused?"

"Yes you may," Lena said. "Oh and dishes in the sink please!"

"Me too?" Callie stood. "I've got a lot of homework."

Stef nodded.

Jude squirmed as Callie hugged him from behind before leaving the kitchen. It was now or never. "Um… Moms? Do you have a minute?"

Stef and Lena looked at each other. "Of course Baby."

Jude sighed. He was already trembling. Could he really do this? He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over to Jesus who nodded.

"Jude, honey," Lena walked over. "What's wrong?"

"Can we go to the living room?" Jude's voice was a whisper.

"Yeah, yeah of course."

A few minutes later, Stef, Lena, Jude, Brandon and Jesus were sitting around the living room.

"What did you wanna talk to us about Jude?" Stef put a hand on his knee.

"I got a text from Connor…" Jude blinked. "Taylor gave him her phone… he...came out to his dad." It seemed so much easier, to start with the facts. He didn't even know if he could say the rest. It was like there was a boulder stuck in his throat. He could already see Lena's expression hardening. "That's why… he won't let me see Connor." The sobs rocked his body. "Because…"

Brandon stood moving to a kneeling position to allow Lena to sit next to Jude. Jesus did the same for Stef. Neither of them left. They wouldn't, not until Jude gave them the go ahead.

"What is it Love?" Stef grabbed Jude's hand. "You know you can tell us anything right?"

Jude nodded still choking on the boulder in his throat. "Because...I'm… I'm gay."

The words were out in the open, but Jude still couldn't breathe. His eyes were suddenly heavy whether with unshed tears or expectation he wasn't sure. He just knew as he looked at these members of his family, four out of seven of the most important people to him, he was scared… so scared.

"Oh honey…" Stef and Lena wrapped their arms around him. "It's okay. You're okay."

Jude blinked past the tears, gasping in air as the words sank in.

"We love you Jude, no matter what." He looked over to Stef. She was crying too.

Jude nodded leaning into his moms' as he looked to his brothers. "Thank you…"

Brandon stood walking over to the couch and joining the family moment. He didn't even have to look next to him to know Jesus was there too.

"If anyone gives you and Connor any crap…" Jesus gripped Jude's shoulder. "I'll kick them into next week."

"Jesus!" Lena tried to scowl at her son, but couldn't hold back the pride she felt toward all of her sons in that moment. They had come so far and had learned to support each other, something that now came naturally. Both Brandon and Jesus had a protective instinct with their siblings that could rival Stef and Lena themselves.

The fact that they hadn't left Jude, something that she at first found odd, was now a source of joy. They were becoming a family, Jude and the Adams Fosters He finally felt safe enough to share the card he had kept closest to his chest with all of them.

"Thank you for telling us Love." Stef kissed Jude on the forehead.

"We'll go the hospital tomorrow." Lena said. "How does that sound?"

Jude couldn't keep the smile off of his face. "I love you guys."

"We love you too." They shared a group hug.

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_**A/N: So what did you think? Any requests? Again, these can include any pairings, any additional characters and any situations, whether canon in between or AU. The only thing I won't necessarily write is where the siblings are romantically involved. **_


	4. Packed for a Week (Jesus, Jude, Family)

_**A/N: Alright this was requested by Vader92 who wanted a oneshot centering on Jesus' last night at home. It came out much longer than I anticipated, but since when is that a bad thing? It focuses mainly on Jesus and Jude, but every member of the family makes an appearance. I hope you enjoy.**_

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**Packed for a Week (Jesus, Jude,Mariana, Adams-Foster Family)**

He'd been packed for a week. As he walked into his bedroom, Jesus already noticed a difference. His side of the room looked the same. Moms had insisted on keeping his bedding, taking him shopping for a new set for his dorm room at Flintwood.

"You'll be back. You need something to come home to."

The biggest difference in itself was the room's other occupant. Jude had made himself more comfortable as the inevitable day of departure drew closer. This had surfaced quickly in the little things: closing the door when he entered, snap comments directed towards the other members of the family whenever Jesus' pending absence was joked about or fussed over, but the worst part was the fighting.

Jesus had tried really hard not to take the bait, only occasionally sinking back into his old habit, but on his last night at home, it became too much.

"I can't believe you're really leaving. Our baby's leaving the nest." Lena said.

"Mama," Jesus groaned. "It's boarding school. I'm not going off to war."

"Promise you'll be careful my Love." Stef kissed him on the forehead. "Please."

"I will."

Callie came down the stairs shaking her head. "He still won't come down!"

"That's not like Jude." Brandon glanced up from his plate looking across the table at Jesus who rolled his eyes.

"He's been taking jabs at me since I said I was going. I can't deal with this anymore." He pushed his plate away from him storming away from the table and up the stairs.

Jude sighed. Jesus was actually leaving tomorrow. He found himself getting angrier and angrier as the thought grew in his head. Didn't he care at all?

He heard a knock on the door.

"What?" He lifted his head from the pillow as the door opened and Jesus walked in.

"What's your problem dude?" Jesus' voice rose. "I mean seriously? Tell me, because you're scaring Callie and you're scaring moms."

"I don't have a problem." Jude couldn't keep the edge out of his voice as he swung his legs around turning his back on Jesus.

"You're acting like a fucking punk. "Jesus reached for Jude's arm swirling him around. "You've been locking me out of the room all week, snapping at everyone who tries to talk to you! I even had Connor asking me about you!"

"What do you care? You're leaving anyway. You just can't wait to get out of here right?" Jude yanked his arm out of Jesus' grasp which had went limp at the younger boy's words.

Well, shit.

"Get out of here! Leave me alone." Jude grabbed a pillow off of his bed throwing it at Jesus. "This isn't your room anymore."

"Fine." Jesus held up his hands as he walked over to his side of the room grabbing his bedding. "Whatever."

As Jesus stormed out and the door slammed, Jude finally let the tears he'd been holding in fall. He remembered when they had heard about the accident, that Jesus and Mariana had been hit, the fatality. Everyone had thought the worst, especially with the report of a fatality. Thankfully, that had been misreported. They were all so grateful. Even after Jesus had come out of surgery, the gratitude never faded. Then Jesus had started again talking about the boarding school, going to Colorado, the great opportunities he would have while he was there. It was like he didn't even care that he had almost died. He didn't even care that they had almost lost him. Jude thought, yeah, maybe he should be grateful that Jesus was acting like everything was still normal. They still had their little bouts and video gaming marathons with Brandon and Connor. But then, he had started packing, face timing with his roommate, and acknowledging the rest of them less and less: particularly Jude.

His afternoons became traipsing around the neighborhood, spending a different day with a different Anchor Beach friend as though he were moving for good, rather than for a school year. The mood in the house changed. Grief over what if we lost him, became grief over he's growing up, he's moving out. Everyone began to acknowledge it, giving him more and more space, bugging him less. Even Brandon stopped annoying him with fake wrestling matches. Jude couldn't.

So he had become what Jesus had been in the hope that his brother would finally notice. He had started acting like it really was his room and his alone. He closed the door before Jesus could come in, he ignored Jesus when he talked, figuring if he was going to be gone, might as well get used to it. He snapped at moms, started shouting matches with Brandon and avoided Callie. He fought over the bathroom with Mariana and spent more time out than he should. Even Connor had began to notice a change in his boyfriend. The bottom line behind all of it that none of them knew is that Jude was going to miss his brother.

"Jesus?" Brandon walked into his bedroom to see his younger brother sitting on the floor with his blankets spread out. "What's going on?"

"I'm spending the night in here." Jesus shrugged. "Hope that's okay."

Brandon shook his head, trying hard to hold back his laughter. "Alright, as much as I miss our bedroom campouts, I have to ask, why?"

"Can't it just be because I'm going to miss you and for old time's' sake?" Jesus ventured. At Brandon's raised eyebrow, he sighed. "Jude still won't let me in. We had a big fight, and I decided to come in here."

"Dude," Brandon sighed sitting on his bed. "You really have to work it out before you leave. You can't avoid it. Callie will never forgive you if you don't at least try to help get the old Jude back before you go."

"I guess you're right." Jesus said. "I don't know why he's going so extreme though. It's not like I'm not coming back."

"Is it?" Brandon asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You've kind of been going 240 about Colorado even after the accident." Brandon said. "It's a little much even for us. Can you imagine how it must be for Jude?"

Mariana stood outside the closed door. She had seen Jesus go into Brandon's room a few minutes ago, and knew that he and Jude must have had another fight.

"Judicorn, it's Mariana, can I come in?"

Jude opened the door without a word before going back to his bed.

"Hey, how you holding up?" Mariana walked in and sat on the bed next to Jude.

"Dunno." Jude shrugged. "I just don't get it. You guys almost died! Now he wants to leave."

Mariana felt a lump in her throat. The accident had shaken up everyone in her family. They could barely let the twins out of their sight. It had taken especially long for them to start acting normally toward Jesus. Mariana had taken the experience, turning it around and started spending as much time with her family as she could. Her twin had taken an opposite approach, treating everything as normally as possible. He became almost antsy with the anticipation of boarding school, wrestling for a whole year, drunk with the promise of moving out and moving on. Jesus was resilient, she'd give him that, but he was also blind. "Jesus…" She sighed. "Jesus just doesn't like being treated differently." She nodded feeling confident in her analysis of the brother she had grown up knowing almost as well as herself. "When everyone freaked out, it scared him."

"Doesn't he know he's scaring us?" Jude sighed, his next words a whisper. "Me. I...I don't want to lose anyone else."

Mariana looked over hearing the clearing of a throat and seeing her brother leaning against the doorframe, having heard the whole exchange. "You won't." He walked in sitting in between Mariana and Jude. "I know this is going to be hard. I'm gonna miss you… I think I'm gonna miss you and Mariana the most." He sighed. "No actually, I'm sure of it."

"Why do you have to go?" Jude asked. "Anchor Beach is your school. You could stay here, stay with us. You wrestle here already."

"Jude," Jesus put an arm around his brother's shoulder. "You remember when you first came here?"

Jude wrinkled his eyebrows nodding carefully. "What...what does that have to do with anything?"

"Just go with it for a minute." Jesus said. "I didn't want anything to do with you in my room right? When I asked Mom why she put you with me instead of Brandon, you know what she said?"

"Do it or else." Jude smirked.

"That," Jesus nodded. "And that it would help me grow up. Brandon, he already as out of left field as this sounds, he already grew up cause had me and Mariana to help out. He learned all this stuff about being a big brother and he already gave you the welcome you needed. I didn't know how to do that yet. You helped me more than you know."

Jude smiled at the memory. "You sure didn't seem like you were growing up."

Jesus shrugged. "So I was a little stunted. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is… now it's your turn. You found your place with us. Now you have to find out who you're gonna be… " He grinned. "Without me locking you out of the bedroom."

Jude nodded. "When you put it that way… I guess it makes sense."

"Yeah?" He rolled his eyes. "And if you ever put anyone through that again… it's not a far plane ride."

Jude's eyes widened as he shook his head. "No. I won't. I promise."

"Alright." Jesus laughed. "You better call every night. I want full and Mariana, I'm counting on you to keep me updated."

"You got it." Jude said.

"Come on, I think Brandon wanted one last chance to beat us in Smash Bros." Jesus put an arm around Jude's shoulder as they walked toward Brandon's room.

Jesus had been packed for a week and nothing had changed.

* * *

_**A/N: My emotions ran the gamut writing this. Thank you for the challenge! Prompts and requests welcome as always! Tell me what you think. **_


	5. Salute (Jonnor, Adam Stevens, Michael)

**_A/N: This is a part of my new Safe Haven verse with a brief cameo by my OC Michael, but can most definitely be read as a standalone one shot. I just really had to get this out today._**

* * *

**Salute (Jonnor, Adam Stevens, Michael)**

Connor stood stoically waiting, watching and trying not to let the pure emotion get to him. It had been at least two years since he had been back here, back in San Diego, and the occasion of his grandfather's funeral where he'd be an emotional mess was not exactly the first impression he wanted his old friends to see after so long, and yet, he saw the Adams-Fosters standing in the back. Jude stood in between Jesus and a boy Connor didn't recognize. The boy looked up, had apparently seen him staring, looked over to Jude, then back at Connor.

"Atten-hut!" The soldiers stood at attention. "Present arms!"

Connor flinched, could feel himself shaking, the tears coming as the three shots from the rifles rang through the cemetery. He just wanted to leave. He had to get out, a feeling he hadn't experienced since the shooting range with Jude all those many years ago coupled with the overwhelming loss making his legs work of their own accord.

"Connor, shit." He heard his father's quiet curse, the footsteps behind, but they sounded like more than his father's boots.

Connor found himself standing beside a stone bench, slid down in the grass leaning his elbows against it. It was quite a sight, this gangly almost nineteen year old kneeling and looking skyward with tear stained cheeks.

"Connor…" A gentle pressure on his shoulder, his father's eyes looking at him so gently and without another word the two men hugged, Connor soaking his father's good suit with tears, taking in so much more than that moment: taking in all of the moments from the time he was thirteen and left on the train to stay with his mother, the time he snuck into his friend's house and found himself staring down the barrel of a gun, the time he told his father the biggest secret of his life. All of those moments were reflected upon and forgiven in that one embrace. "Easy Son…"

"Mr. Stevens?" Connor felt his father turn toward the unexpected voice, despite not loosening his embrace as he did the same. "I'm really sorry about your loss." The boy was tall with dirty blond almost brownish hair.

"Thank you Michael." Adam cleared his throat. "This is my son Connor."

"Good to meet you Michael, are you…?" Connor's question was interrupted by a shout.

"Mike!" Connor felt a familiar jolt as he saw who it was that was running toward them. He was a little taller than Connor remembered, but it was unmistakably Jude. "Brandon's looking for you."

"Yeah, yeah." Michael rolled his eyes as he started to run back to where family and friends were meandering, his voice coming out a stage whisper. "Talk to him will you?"

As the boy disappeared, Connor felt the tears starting up again, not even trying to look at his childhood friend. As a matter of fact, he was doing everything he could to avoid the gaze of the one person who knew him better than anyone.

"Please tell me I wasn't the only one who clapped his hands over his ears during the salute." Jude sighed. "I swear, between Jesus and Michael I haven't heard the end of it."

Despite the tears rolling down his cheeks, despite his still trembling hands, Connor smiled at Jude's attempt at lightening the mood. "Nope. I still can't handle gun noise."

Jude walked around sitting beside Connor on the bench as he placed a hand on top of Connor's. "What branch?"

"The Navy." Connor laughed. "He taught me all of the military songs before I was seven."

Jude whistled. "That's impressive. Although, you don't seem like much of a military kid."

"Dad never served." Connor shook his head. "My uncle did though. I think we collected enough war stories for one of those books they used to teach at Anchor Beach."

The small talk was chasing the two of them around like dogs chasing their tails, but it was a start. Just having his best friend back no matter how temporary was enough to finally allow Connor to let his grief go, to drop the wall he had perfected around his father, around the others that weren't Jude and just trust that they would be there: both Jude and his father. It would take a while for their relationships to be what they were, but in this small moment he was content.

* * *

_**A/N: This one-shot is dedicated to my grandfather. RIP Grandpa. **_

_**Feel free to PM or review with prompts and/ or if you want to know more about my Safe Haven Verse. If you want to know more about Michael, check out my fanfic Safe Haven. **_


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